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2020-2021 Rice Basketball Season Preview

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The 2020-2021 Rice basketball team is full of new faces. Offseason transfers forced another reboot. Can the Owls adjust quickly and fly on?

For better or worse, Rice basketball was one of the few Conference USA basketball teams that determined their own fate last March before the COVID-19 pandemic swept in and prematurely ended sports midseason. Rice lost in the C-USA Tournament the day before everything was shut down. Since then, it’s been a tough road.

Rice lost Ako Adams and Robert Martin, two valuable pieces, to graduation. Several others transferred. Players like Trey Murphy and Drew Peterson, though to be the future of the program, left amidst the sudden offseason lull. Who steps up and what this next iteration of Rice basketball will look like form the framework of what is sure to be an intriguing season.

The Coach – Scott Pera

Scott Pera has fought through adversity time and time again as the Owls’ head coach. His arrival was met with an exodus of key players. Further transfers continue to challenge his roster and his moral, but he’s adjusted, leaning further into the Transfer Portal himself.

After winning seven games in his first season, he’s improved on that total in each subsequent year, winning 13 games in Year 2 and 15 last season. Eclipsing a .500 record, especially given the circumstances, would be a commendable achievement.

Last Season Snapshot

Following a wake-up call in their season opener, a one-sided loss to Arkansas on the road, Rice strung together a rather impressive non-conference run. The Owls beat UC Santa Barbara, Liberty and East Carolina but couldn’t avoid a few head-scratching losses along the way to Lamar and Sam Houston.

Conference play was less kind. Rice won just one of their first 10 games in C-USA play (home against FIU). They rallied to win six of their final nine to clinch a spot in the conference tournament, where they fell to FIU to end their season.

Key Question

How quickly can this rebuilt roster gel? Graduation and transfers wiped out the majority of the Owls’ core contributors for a year ago. Pera’s new-look team will ask younger players to carry bigger loads and newly added pieces to be integrated quickly. It’s not an impossible task, but so much change in such a short window of time, compounded by the challenges of COVID-19 are going to make it challenging.

The Schedule

Rice Basketball Marquee Games and Key Dates

Nov. 27, 2020 – Season opener at Thanksgiving Invitational vs Incarnate Word
Dec. 3, 2020 – Home opener vs LeTourneau
Dec. 12, 2020 – Owls visit Houston at the Fertitta Center
Jan. 1, 2020 – Conference USA home opener vs UTSA
Jan. 8, 2020 – Conference USA first road game vs UTEP
Mar. 10, 2020 – Conference USA Tournament

You can find the complete 2020-2021 Rice basketball schedule here.

Key Returners

Chris Mullins, Guard (Jr.)

Mullins is the only returning player who started at least a dozen games for Rice last season. After a strong freshman campaign, the scoring dipped a bit last season as his shooting consistency wained and others came to his aid. Last year he averaged 7.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. He’ll be asked to step up further in 2020 and beyond.

Payton Moore, Guard (Jr.)

Moore was a key bench piece last season and was one of only four players to play in all 32 games. He was consistently the Owls’ sixth man, coming in quickly and playing meaningful minutes when the team needed him most. He averages 4.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. His experience as the first man off the bench is valuable and could play into how he’s used this coming season.

Quincy Olivari, Guard (So.)

Olivari saw flashes of action early in the season but really started to develop as the year progressed. He played more than 16 minutes in a game for the first time on Jan. 16 against Louisiana Tech, the Owls 16th game. From that point on, he averaged 17.1 minutes played and 6.1 points per game. His star is just beginning to shine.

Max Fiedler, Forward (So.)

It looked like Fiedler would be a staple in the Owls’ rotation early on last season, but his utilization dipped significantly when the team reached conference play. He appeared in just seven games against C-USA opponents, never playing more than 11 minutes. Even with the limited time on the court, he racked up 13 blocks, second-most on the team.

Malik Ondigo, Forward (Jr.)

Update: Head coach Scott Pera said Ondigo is currently not with the team due to personal reasons.

Ondigo signed with the Owls last summer after spending the prior two seasons at Texas Tech. He appeared in 32 games for the Red Raiders before transferring to Rice. After sitting out last season due to transfer rules, his impact should be significant. Having someone with his size (6-foot-10, 215) and power seems to suggest a more consistent interior presence for Rice on both ends of the court.

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Key Additions

Tre Clark, Guard (Gr.) – Furman transfer. Had career-highs in rebounds (101), assists (38) and steals (32) last season. Appeared in 86 games over the past four seasons. Veteran presence for young team.

Cavit Ege Havsa, Guard (Gr.) – Played at Fordham and Utah Valley State and previously for the U20 Turkish National Team. Should provide an experienced shooting presence from the outside.

Travis Evee, Guard (So.) – Potential difference-maker at point guard who transferred from VMI. He was the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year this past season, averaging 12.6 points per game.

Riley Abercrombie, Forward (So.) – Houston native and transfer from Boise State who redshirted before playing last year. Good shooter from distance who should contribute this year.

Jake Lieppert, Guard (So.) – Lights out scorer at Pima Community College where he shot 41.7 percent from three. He was named league Freshman of the Year last season.

More Names to Know

The Owls are excited about their incoming Freshmen Noah Hutchins, Mylyjael Poteat and Cameron Sheffield. We saw a few freshmen earn early playing time a year ago, and with so many new faces, it’s not out of the question that at least one, if not multiple players from his class break through and find roles.

Hutchins and Sheffield are great shooters. Poteat brings plenty of size and range. All three should complement each other well as Rice works to rebuild a young core.

Sophomores Ben Moffat and Reed Myers each played in less than five games a season ago, averaging less than two minutes. They’ll more than likely be locker room guys and depth pieces again this year as well.

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Rice Basketball: Relationships and diversity unify Owls’ 2020 signing class

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In the midst of a challenging recruiting environment, Rice basketball has finalized a seven-member signing class for the upcoming 2020-2021 season.

Those attending a Rice basketball game next season might have to familiarize themselves with the roster. Eight of the 15 players who saw action in at least one game for the Owls’ last season have departed the program. Five exhausted their collegiate eligibility. Three transferred.

The large exodus necessitated a large influx of talent. 6-foot-10 Texas Tech transfer Malik Ondigo, who sat out last season due to transfer rules, will give the Owls a more physical presence inside. Joining him are seven new additions, each pulled together through a variety of connections.

“It all comes back to one thing, relationships,” head coach Scott Pera said when asked how he’d constructed this signing class. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work a lot of places around the country. From LA to Phoenix to Philly to Houston, I’ve got a lot of major cities covered.”

Graduate transfer Cavit Ege Havsa brings a much-needed veteran presence. He was discovered through an assistant with connections to Turkish international players. He’s 6-foot-4 with good hands and will fill in at the four behind the departed Drew Peterson.

Alongside him, third-year player Riley Abercrombie was recruited by Pera out of highschool. He’s a 6-foot-9 transfer from Boise State who was a standout at Clear Lake before moving onto the college ranks.

Guard Jake Lieppert came out of the blue. “I got a random text from basically a friend of a friend in Phoenix,” Pera said. A few months later, Lieppert checked all of the boxes and has made the jump from JUCO to Rice.

Rice was on guard Noah Hutchins for some time. Likewise, they initiated contact with VMI transfer Travis Evee soon after his name hit the Transfer Portal. Guard Cameron Sheffield, the first commitment in the class, and fellow high school addition Mylyjael Poteat round out a balanced group. All with different talents, but the same core identity. They fit at Rice.

On the court, this group will allow Pera to add more size. It wasn’t uncommon for Pera to trust a “small ball” lineup last year, trotting out five guards with Josh Parrish or Robert Martin at the five. Ondigo, Abercrombie and the 6-foot-9 Poteat will help ease the Owls’ size deficiencies.

Having the bodies and getting them to work in concert are different challenges, but getting the pieces in place is the first step.”We still —  I feel — have enough experience to help us out as we move along here,” Pera said confidently. Havsa is in his fifth year. Ondigo is entering his court and Abercrombie his third. Chris Mullins and Payton Moore have played meaningful minutes already at Rice. Things will be different, but the cupboard isn’t empty, not anymore.

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2019-2020 Rice Basketball Season Preview

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The 2019-2020 Rice basketball season is fast approaching. Here’s a rundown of the Owls’ squad which looks to take a step forward this coming season.

You’ll hear the word consistency thrown around a lot at Tudor Fieldhouse this season. This new incarnation of Rice basketball will look to fix that nagging thorn from a year ago and take the next step in their quest for Conference USA Basketball supremacy.

The group tasked with taking that next step is a year wiser and a year more experienced. Ako Adams and Chis Mullins will be the heartbeat, with weapons like Trey Murphy to pick teams apart from long range and Robert Martin to patrol the paint. The bench is deep and should be more action this season. Here’s a bit more on the coach, the players, the roster, and what to expect from this team in 2019 and beyond.

The Coach – Scott Pera

This upcoming season will be the third for Scott Pera as the head coach of Rice basketball and his sixth season at South Main — Pera was an assistant with the Owls from 2014 to 2017 before being promoted to the head chair prior to the 2017-2018 season.

Pera’s first season was a reboot as the team worked to rebuild a roster. He went from 7-24 that year to 13-19 last year improving from 4-14 in Conference USA play to 8-10 this past season. Now he’ll be tasked with taking one more step with a roster which returns most of its key players, with the exception of departed senior Jack Williams and transferee Quentin Millora-Brown.

Last Season Snapshot

After weathering a fairly challenging nonconference slate which included games at Houston, BYU and Wichita State, the Owls were more or less a .500 club the rest of the way. Rice was fourth in the conference in scoring (74.0 points per game) but 12th in scoring defense (77.5).

More: Rice Women’s Basketball Season Preview

The Owls relied on the third-best clip from three-point range among C-USA teams (34.8 percent) but did not do a good job protecting the basketball. Their -2.34 turnover margin ranked 11th in the conference. Much of the turnover issues seemed to stem from young players learning on the job, something Rice hopes to improve with a full year of experience under the belts of their most important contributors.

The Schedule

Rice Basketball Marquee Games and Key Dates

Oct. 31, 2019 – Exhibition vs St Edwards
Nov. 5, 2019 – Season opener at Arkansas
Nov. 9, 2019 – Home opener vs Penn
Nov. 19, 2019 – Owls host Houston at Tudor Fieldhouse
Nov. 22, 2019 – 2019 Islands of the Bahamas Showcase
Jan. 2, 2020 – Conference USA opener at Marshall
Jan. 9, 2020 – Conference USA home opener vs FAU
Feb. 22, 2020 – Conference USA bonus play begins

You can find the complete 2019-2020 Rice basketball schedule here.

Projected Starters

PLAYER MP PTS TRB AST STL BLK
Ako Adams 27.3 11.2 2.6 2.6 0.6 0
Chris Mullins 28.8 12 2.8 2.7 1.2 0.1
Trey Murphy III 20.6 8.4 2.6 0.7 0.5 0.5
Robert Martin 25.6 12.2 6.2 1.7 0.9 0.3
Josh Parrish 19.8 6.3 2.8 1.1 0.7 0.5

The Returning Players

No. 0 – Payton Moore, Guard (So.)

6-foot-4, 205 pounds

Moore was a rotation player for the Owls last season who averaged 11 minutes per game. He appeared in all but one contest, doing well on the glass when he was on the court, averaging a little more than three rebounds per appearance.

No. 1 – Josh Parrish, Guard (R-Jr.)

6-foot-4, 215 pounds

Parrish alternated between being the team’s sixth man and a starting role last season. He leads all returning players in field goal percentage (.504) and was accurate from an impressive 61.3 percent of his two-point shots. His role could increase this season considering the minutes vacated by Jack Williams.

No. 2 – Trey Murphy III, Guard (So.)

6-foot-8, 200 pounds

The Owls are excited about the growth of sophomore sharpshooter Trey Murphy. He attempted and made at least one three-point shot in 29 of 32 games, knocking down three or more on 12 separate occasions including five of seven at home against UAB last January.

No. 3 – Ako Adams, Guard (Sr.)

6-foot-3, 175 pounds

A senior leader for this relatively young team, Ako Adams is going to be one of the two players trusted to handle the ball on the majority of Rice possessions. Adams is a career .359 three point shooter who started to heat up during conference play last year where he hit  40 percent of his shots from distance. He finished one shy of Chris Mullins for the team lead in assists.

No. 5 – Addison Owen, Guard (Sr.)

6-foot-5, 195 pounds

Owen made two appearances off the bench for Rice last season and has appeared in nine games during his three-year career with the Owls. He was one of two players on the team named to the NABC Honors Court which honors academic achievements for student athletes. He is expected to hold a similarly limited role this coming season.

No. 10 – Robert Martin, Forward (Sr.)

6-foot-6, 220 pounds

Coach Pera has identified Martin as a key leader on the team alongside Ako Adams. Although Martin only started one game last season, his presence was felt in almost every contest. He led the team in total scoring. His 25.6 minutes played per game were third-most among returning players and he topped all returning Owls with 197 rebounds (4.8 per game).

No. 23 – Drew Peterson, Guard/Forward (So.)

6-foot-8, 185 pounds

Peterson was another player who saw his time wax back and forth between starter and key reserve last season. No matter the role, he served as a rebound presence for the Owls when he was on the court. He grabbed 106 boards and had a keen eye on what to do with the ball when he got it in his hands, racking up 49 assists along the way.

No. 24 – Chris Mullins, Guard (So.)

6-foot-3, 190 pounds

The complement to Ako Adams, Mullins’ role grew significantly as last season progressed. Mullins was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team, just the sixth Rice player to ever receive that designation. He’s an excellent facilitator and someone the Owls will rely on to coordinate their efforts on the offensive side of the court this season.

No. 35 – Tim Harrison, Forward (Sr.)

6-foot-8, 220 pounds

Harrison appeared in 14 games last season, averaging just shy of a point per game. Alongside Addison Owen, Harrison was also named to the NABC Honors Court. He’ll continue to be a reserve player for this team going forward

The New Additions

No. 13 – Tommy McCarthy, Guard (Gr.)

6-foot-1, 175 pounds

Joining the Owls by way of Harvard, McCarthy hopes to be the next grad transfer to make a name for himself at South Main. Jack Williams, who came to Rice from Pacific, became a fixture in the Owls’ lineup in his lone season at Rice. Williams started every game, averaging 9.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest. McCarthy started 26 games in three healthy seasons with the Crimson, highlighted by a strong freshman season in which he averaged 24.8 minutes and 8.8 points per game.

No. 15 – Max Fiedler, Forward (Fr.)

6-foot-10, 235 pounds

The tallest man on the roster eligible to play this season, Fiedler committed to the Owls in the fall. With Quentin Millora-Brown transferring to Vanderbilt in the offseason, Fiedler could carve out a role of some sort based on his athletic profile alone.

No. 20 – Zach Crisler, Forward (Fr.)

6-foot-9, 215 pounds

Another member of the 2019 signing class, Crisler is an intriguing stretch forward who could wear a number of hats for the Owls. Rice beat out prominent programs like Penn State and TCU to secure his services. Crisler is continuing to get bigger and stronger, both aspects which will help him find a way to contribute.

No. 4 – Quincy Olivari, Guard (Fr.)

6-foot-2, 190 pounds

Olivari, Crisler and Fiedler were all Top 500 recruits with Olivari checking in nearest the top of the ranks as the No. 430 prospect in the nation and the N0. 23 player in the state of Georgia. This combo guard is going to help Rice push the pace on both ends and is dangerous when he does decide to spot up and shoot.

No. 12 – Ben Moffat, Forward (Fr.)

6-foot-8, 225 pounds

Moffat is a priority walk-on excited for his opportunity to be a part of the team. “Every player has to work hard,” he says, “but as a  walk-on, I’ll need to work harder than anybody else. I need to be the first one at practice and the last one to leave, and that’s something I’m prepared to do.”

No. 14 – Reed Myers, Guard (Fr.)

6-foot-0, 180 pounds

A First Team 2A All-State selection and Metro Region First Team Offensive Player of the Year out of Scottsdale Christian Academy in Arizona, Myers is going to bring some offensive punch to the team. Myers excelled at a small school and will be ready to take on a new challenge with the Owls this season.

Malik Ondigo, Forward (Jr.)

6-foot-10, 215 pounds

Ondigo signed with the Owls in June after spending the last two seasons at Texas Tech. He appeared in 14 games as a freshman, setting season highs in points (six) and rebounds (four) against Iowa State. He had an increased role in 2018, playing in 18 games for the Red Raiders who advanced to the Final Four and the National Championship Game. His best outing last year came against Mississippi Valley State where he scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds.

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